PATTERNED TILE

Another trend lately has been the resurgence of patterned tile. Once again, this is a trend that draws from old-world Europe but that has been reintroduced in a much edgier interpretation. 

Naturally, I drift toward the examples in black, grey and white:

via

via

via

But this is a great way to introduce some funk and colour to your floors for those who may be more adventurous:

 via

via

(*You will note the frequent use of floor-to-ceiling subway tile in some of the included examples. Killing two trends with one stone!)

via

This effect so strongly reminds me of a beautiful grande maison I lived in for a few weeks in France when I was younger. The foyer had this beautiful "tumbling block" tile pattern, similar to what is shown below but instead was black and burnt yellow.

via

Tumbling block is a timeless pattern seen on endless materials with many adaptions, that also looks stunning when laid out on the floor in tile:

via

via

via

I mean damn. That last image says it all. This, to me, represents the best kind of "Euro" - think moreso 60's Italy than, say, Romanian techno music or "guido". 

The natural place to test the waters with this look would be a bathroom; ideally a tiled room which often has a smaller square footage and could therefore justify a more dramatic pattern. 

Would you be brave enough to try it in a larger space like above?

bZd

THE WANT: WOOL BLANKETS

With the bitter cold setting in fast, I've been hopelessly wrapping myself in whatever I can find around the house in a losing battle against the draughty windows of our ghetto apartment building. 

Luckily, I have recently spotted the remedy to my dilemma that will inject this place with a much-need dose of style goddammit. 

Relish in the following and tell me you wouldn't want to get cozy with any of these: 

 via

via

via

via

The above are all made by Coyuchi, a company based out of California specializing in organic textiles. An enlightening quote from the product page for their wool blankets explains:  

"Sheep pastured in the cool mists of Canada produce the dense, cozy wool that's used to weave this blanket." 

Right.

I'm not sure what kind of effect these Californians think the "cool mists of Canada" have on anything, but it has been my experience that they result in nothing other than dampness and a longing to live anywhere but Canada.

West Elm has also paired up with Faribault Woolen Mill Co. and is selling their equally dreamy blankets and pillows.  

via westelm.com

via westelm.com

Faribault doesn't offer any whimsical imagery, but they do make some pretty badass military-inspired blankets.

via

via

I'm so into all of these options and am also in the market for a new bedspread. Alas, these blankets aren't exactly inexpensive but I have found something from IKEA that provides a similar stripe-y aesthetic to the striped blankets above:

via

The BJORNLOKA bedspread is a bit more within budget, and still provides that simple, minimal, graphic look.

What do you think? I am going to start paying a bit more attention to my bedroom situation and I think this is a great starting point. With Christmas around the corner maybe you too could come into some striped blanket swankiness. 

But only if you're nice. 

bZd 

COLOUR WATCH: DARK OLIVE

While reading in the October issue of Lonny Magazine about Kristen Cunningham and Scott Jarrell's loft (which EVERYONE should check out here), I was really inspired by the colour palette of everything they have curated in their space. Blacks, whites, browns, and Kristen even mentioned they have painted most of their doors in dark olive. 

Dark olive naturally lends itself to a vintage, military and industrial vibe that brings automatic cool to anywhere you can find it. 

I present the following:

via

via

via

 via

 via

 via

 via

I think that leaning more towards "dark" than "olive" is key as well - a pale olive bordering on avocado just brings the wrong kind of vintage feel (more hippy, trippy, and bad 70's which just isn't the look).

So, we welcome dark olive (also delightfully referred to as olive drab) to our extremely low-variety yet incredibly high-taste arsenal of acceptable colours along with black, white, brown, and brass.  

What do you think of olive this? Terrible. -__-

bZd

FLOOR TO CEILING SUBWAY TILE

Listen here, BUD.

I'm not gonna pretend to tell you that subway tiles are anything new or exciting. One thing I have been noticing a lot lately, however, is the twist of taking them from floor to ceiling up an entire wall. 

A good ol' Google search of "Victorian Industrial" a while back (another popular trend - think Edison lightbulbs, raw wood and black metal) brought me upon this inspiring image:

via

Very 'Downton Abbey'. 

And while dining out at Bent Restaurant in Toronto, I noticed something similar here as well:

via

This picture isn't a great example, but they too ran white subway tile from floor to ceiling. 

Further Googling led me to the following inspiring imagery to share with all of you, to prove how cool a treatment I think this is.

via 

(HGTV designer Tommy Smythe's kitchen)

 via

via

via

via 

(This time in black!)

via

(Love the textured tile here)

via

(Really dig the sort of varsity-style stripes)

via

via

via

via

If you have the time or care enough to go back and review the above images, you may/may not notice that some examples have been finished with dark grout for higher contrast and an edgier vibe. 

Grout can be tinted a number of colours, and going dark in the first place can add life and longevity to your tiled look as it will conceal dirt and grime much better.

What do you think? Too much of a good thing? For some reason, I think it brings an old world feel, but seems altogether new and current. 

So, are you a tile-o-phile? 

bZd

NEW RUG

After moving my Persian rug to underneath my dining table, our living room floor was in serious need of some love.

...And guess who scored a Beni Ourain-style rug!

Duh. Me!

This baby is PLUSH. It is literally almost 2" thick. Your feet seriously sink into this lavish shag madness!

After longing for a Beni a while ago, a clandestine search on Kijiji led me straight to a beautiful rug. By hasard, I typed in the words "Beni Ourain", expecting nothing. Instead, I found the ad for this rug listed within the last 14 hours and only a short drive away.

I knew this rug would soon be mine. 

And what's this? More teak furniture? No more pleated leather throne?

The throne was sold allowing room for a few more pieces inherited from the high-style mid-century home that was my grandmother's. So awesome right? ORIGINAL UPHOLSTERY! 

I'll write and post more detailed pics soon.  

For now, we have plenty to admire with this new rug in town.

It's amazing the difference a rug makes, after having to live with horrible, exposed parquet floors for far too long.

Lush and plush is the only way.

bZd 

OH OH OH WHAT A FEELING...

... Wood on the ceiling!

This has been a cool idea that has been plaguing my mind lately (and unfortunately has resulted in a certain Lionel Richie song being stuck in my head). 

I have always envisioned that if one day I bought a condo (although I probably wouldn't) I would try to accomplish an effect on the ceiling replicating the exposed beams and woodwork of much pricier "hard lofts". The aged, rustic, warm colour from the wood would be a huge addition of character to what are normally lifeless, cold, uninspired spaces. I also began to think about a much more polished, streamlined approach that would be similar to what we are generally used to putting on our floors - except on the ceiling!

This is something that is often seen on porches and verandas, but looks OUTTA THIS WORLD when introduced in an interior space.

I have also been trying to convince my parents that this effect would look really cool at our cottage, which we are currently in the process of giving a facelift! (Stay tuned.)

Anyway, for your viewing pleasure:

via

via

via

I love the high-lacquer, rich colour of the above three examples.

The next three photos show a more matte, light colour application.

via

via

via

I like the wrap-around effect featured in the next two photos, where a defined strip has been sectioned off and applied to the wall, ceiling and even the floor!

via

via

I think this idea would only work in spaces with more generous ceiling heights, as a ceiling too low could leave you feel imposed upon from above. But, I think this brings a really unexpected, cool approach to the fourth dimension of your space that, generally speaking, doesn't get much attention.

What do you think?

bZd